Texas Public Schools

Update (4:05 p.m.): In his final decision, Travis County District Judge John Dietz said that the property tax system set up to fund school districts was ineffective at distributing funding equally to campuses across the state.

Attorney David Thompson represents the largest number of schools in the lawsuit.

State lawmakers took issue with the Texas Education Agency’s plan to keep the standard for writing component of the Texas STAARS exam at a lower level for a third year in a row. Lawmakers voiced concerns with keeping the lower standard and changing the exam while student performance remains flat.

The state introduced the STAAR exams in 2011 and because of failing test grades the legislature reduced the number of exams from 15 to five in 2013.

State Sen. Leticia Van De Putte, D-San Antonio, said the STAAR exam may have run its course.

Depending on where you go to school, getting caught skipping repeatedly in San Antonio could mean anything from a slap on the wrist to a day in court. The disparity in how school districts addressed the problem plaguing the city concerned many.

A task force composed of city, county, and state lawmakers, as well as school officials, was formed to address the problems of truancy in San Antonio. One of the chief goals was to address the root causes and keep kids out of a courtroom.

It’s been close to six months since more than 600 school districts in Texas finished making their argument that the current school finance system is unconstitutional.

Some close to the trial, speaking on condition of anonymity, say they believe Travis County District Judge John Dietz may render a decision as soon as this week. In January 2013, Dietz ruled that the the school finance system in Texas was unconstitutional.